NORFOLK, Va. — Delaware State delivered one of its most complete performances in the MEAC Tournament on Wednesday night, knocking off No. 2 seed Morgan State 75–70 in overtime at Scope Arena.
The Hornets entered the tournament needing a late push after a difficult conference season. But in a win-or-go-home setting, Delaware State leaned on defense, rebounding, and timely execution to secure the upset.
“It’s your last one because it could be your last one,” Delaware State head coach Stan Waterman said after the game. “For us tonight we were able to make some withdrawals on some deposits that we made earlier in the year.”
Defensive game plan pays off
One of Delaware State’s main priorities was limiting Morgan State’s perimeter shooting — a strategy that paid off.
The Bears shot just 3-of-21 from three-point range (14.3 percent) in the loss.
“We really wanted to defend the arc and defend the three-point line,” Waterman said. “I think they had a tough night shooting the ball tonight… but I’ll give credit to our guys for executing the game plan.”
Delaware State also controlled key moments on the glass and protected the basketball in a tightly contested matchup that featured four lead changes and nine ties.
Miles Webb leads the Hornets
Forward Miles Webb sparked Delaware State early and finished with a double-double of 18 points and 12 rebounds, playing more than 43 minutes.
“Miles Webb got us out of the gates quickly,” Waterman said. “That was huge for us.”
Guard Rahmir Moore added 14 points, while Ponce James chipped in 12 points and four assists.
Delaware State shot 42.6 percent from the field and converted 22-of-30 free throws, including several key baskets in overtime.
Morgan State fights back
Despite a sluggish offensive start, Morgan State nearly pulled off a comeback.
The Bears struggled in the first half before finding momentum after the break, outscoring Delaware State 45–33 in the second half to force overtime.
Guard Alfred Worrell Jr. and Elijah Davis helped lead the rally, each finishing with 18 points. Rob Lawson added 14 points and nine rebounds.
Morgan State head coach Kevin Broadus credited Delaware State while acknowledging his team simply couldn’t find its rhythm offensively.
“You can have a bad day, but you can’t have a bad effort day,” Broadus said. “We didn’t have a bad effort day. We just had a bad day.”
MEAC semis around the corner
After Morgan State forced the extra period, Delaware State responded with its best stretch of the night, scoring 15 points in overtime to seal the victory.
The win was particularly satisfying for a Hornets team that had lost two close regular-season MEAC matchups against Morgan State.
“Third time’s a charm,” Waterman said. “It’s tough to beat a team three times, and we felt like we had a chance tonight.”’
Delaware State moves on the semifinals where it will play the North Carolina Central-Maryland Eastern Shore winner.